COLLEGE OF ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING
NUST RAWALPINDI

Submitted By: Muhammad Mobeen Submitted To: Sir Aashir

Zafar Khan
CMS ID: 512659 Subject: English
Degree: CE 46 (B) Date: 19 Nov 2024

Critical Analysis of Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables, written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and first published
in 1908, is a heartwarming story set in the fictional village of Avonlea, on
Prince Edward Island, Canada. The novel follows the life of Anne Shirley, an
imaginative and spirited eleven-year-old orphan.

Summary
Anne of Green Gables is a heartwarming story set in the fictional village of
Avonlea, on Prince Edward Island, Canada. The novel follows the life of Anne
Shirley, an imaginative and spirited eleven-year-old orphan.

It is a heartwarming story set in the fictional village of Avonlea, on Prince

Edward Island, Canada. The novel covers Anne Shirley's life as an
imaginative and spirited eleven-year-old orphan.
The entire story starts off with Anne being sent over to live with an old
brother and sister, the rigid Marilla and soft-spoken Matthew Cuthbert, who
had wanted a boy to help them on their farm. Upon discovering the
mistake, if it were not for her charming and bright
personality, they might very well have sent her back to the orphanage. While
Marilla is strict and practical, Matthew is soft and encouraging, and

Anne quickly finds friends in both of them. Anne is an imaginative, talkative,

and slightly awkward girl with a quick temper. She gets into
trouble over her imagination; for example, when
she thought the green dye would make her hair a fabulous color. Despite
these mishaps, Anne is a bright student full of dreams and ambition.
She wishes to have a place she can call her own and, eventually, Green
Gables becomes that place that instills the love and security she had always
craved.

Throughout the novel, Anne forms a close friendship with Diana Barry, a girl
in the village. Anne also has a rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, a boy at school who
teases her by calling her "Carrots" because of her red hair. This rivalry turns
into a complicated relationship, as Anne initially hates Gilbert but later
comes to admire him.

Anne's adventures and missteps at school, in the community, and with her
friends reveal her growth as a person. She learns important lessons about
friendship, responsibility, and the importance of self-control. Over time, she
matures from an impulsive, imaginative child into a thoughtful and self-
assured young woman.
At the end of the novel, Anne's academic success and the love she has found
at Green Gables make her feel at home, and
she starts envisioning the future in wonderful colors.
She realized that, though she still cherished her dream, the reality of her life
at Green Gables offered her a deep sense of belonging and happiness.
The story of Anne's journey from an outsider to someone fully embracing her
community speaks to themes of family, friendship, and personal growth.

Characters
Anne Shirley: Anne Shirley is the main character of the story. She is an
imaginative and talkative orphan with red hair. Anne has dreams to fulfill,
but often gets into trouble because of her wild imagination. As time passes,
she matures and learns to balance her dreams with reality.

Marilla Cuthbert: A practical, strict woman adopts Anne. At start she is

strict but afterwards becomes a loving and protective mother figure for Anne.

Matthew Cuthbert: He is the brother of Marilla. He is a kind, shy man who

is more gentle and patient than his sister. He forms a strong bond with Anne
and helps her with emotional support and love.

Gilbert Blythe: He is a smart, confident classmate of Anne’s who initially

teases her about her red hair. But with time, their rivalry turns into
friendship, and they eventually fall in love.

Diana Barry: She is Anne’s best friend and loyal companion. Diana is
sensible, kind, and supportive, and joined anne on every adventure.

Critical Analysis

Imagination vs. Reality

One of the most major themes of the novel Anne of Green Gables is the
conflict between imagination and reality. The author, through the main
character Anne Shirley, portrays an imaginative and dreamy young girl who
is sent to live with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert; however, her vivid
imagination forms her view of things, and therefore this theme is
important since it shows how imagination can both be a strength
and something challenging.
At the beginning of the story, Anne employs imagination to run away
from her difficult past of being an orphan. She gives romantic names
to areas close to her, for example, naming Green Gables "The White Way of
Delight." She turns ordinary situations into something magical; this makes
her feel special and hopeful because life isn't easy. Her imagination helps her
dream of a better life, and it also gives her a way to cope with the pain she
feels at having been abandoned.

In reality, Anne's imagination quite often gets her into trouble. She has a
tendency to exaggerate things or make up
stories, with, of course, sometimes unfortunate consequences. For example,
when she dyes her hair green by mistake, or when she fantasizes about
being a "great lady" even though she’s just an orphan girl, it shows how her
dreams don’t always match reality. This is where Anne's imaginative nature
clashes with the more practical, grounded world around her. Marilla, her
guardian, represents reality and often tells Anne to stop dreaming and be
more sensible. At first, Anne really struggles with this because she is so used
to viewing the world from her imagination..

Anne soon comes to realize that she needs to keep her imagination in check.
She realizes that while it is all right to dream and keep such imagination,
she must face the real world and take responsibility for the things she has
done. For instance, the relationship she has with Gilbert Blythe,
which begins as rivalry and fantasy, comes to become a real
friendship based on respect. Here Anne grows up realizing that imagination
and reality need not be opposites; they can instead work together.

Even in the settings of the story, imagination differs greatly from reality.
Green Gables is a beautiful, peaceful place representing Anne's dreams and
her idealized idea of life. In contrast, places like the "Haunted Wood" are
more related to her wild imagination where things seem mysterious and
magical but can lead her into trouble.
By the end of the book, Anne has learned to guide her imagination with
the prompt necessities of real life. She still believes in her
imagination, though she knows that she must face challenges and be
practical too.

The novel points out that there may be great sources of merriment and
creativity in imagination, but it is equally vital to live in the real world and be
practical at times. Ultimately, Anne of Green Gables teaches us that
imagination and reality can coexist side by side and that both are important
in growing up and finding happiness.
Conclusion
In my opinion, Anne of Green Gables is a charming novel that can capture
the thougths of every individual. I really admire Anne Shirley’s character, her
creativity, and her strong will. She’s someone who always sees the world in a
different view, which makes her both endearing and a bit impractical at
times. Her ability to turn even the simplest things into something magical is
inspiring.

What I liked most was how Anne's character improved throughout the novel.
Initially, she was so dreamy and idealistic that she would always manage to
get into trouble because she couldn't see any practical side of
things. As her story unfolds, Anne learns
to sync imagination and responsibility. She
matures in understanding to face reality and become a thoughtful young
woman.

also like how the book develops the theme of love, friendship, and
belonging. Here, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, who initially wanted only a
boy to work on their farm, eventually love Anne
for herself. Her bond with them is very touchy and demonstrates that
family does not necessarily have to be what people expect;
instead, it is established on love and care.

Overall, Anne of Green Gables is a beautiful story about love, friendship, and
the power of imagination. The book feels like a warm hug, full of life lessons.